Animal Kingdom is a hugely underrated park.
It’s a beautiful place with interesting things to see, impeccable theming and some fantastic attractions.
Here’s a guide to all Animal Kingdom rides and attractions to help you decide what to do when you visit.
UPDATE: Attraction closures
Several rides, shows, and character meets are temporarily unavailable due to current global events. These attractions have been noted below and we will continue to make updates as Disney releases additional information.
A quick overview
Animal Kingdom is the largest of all of the theme parks in terms of acres but has the least amount of attractions. The park icon is a big man-made tree called The Tree of Life.
As the park’s name implies, there are lots of live animal attractions here, but there are some good non-animal attractions as well (including the 2 best live shows in all of Disney World).
Let’s take a look at each section of Animal Kingdom and what attractions are located there.
New temporary entertainment
While several popular character meets and shows are unavailable, new temporary character experiences and shows have taken their place. Here is what to expect at Animal Kingdom:
- Goofy and Pals Set Sail
- Mickey & Friends Flotilla
- Discovery Island Drummers
- Discovery River Character Cruise
- Donald’s Dino Boat Bash!
- Feathered Friends in Flight – taking place in the theater that usually houses UP! A Great Bird Adventure, this altered show features a variety of birds but does not currently include Dug and Russell from Up
Find more information about these experiences, including when to see them, in our Complete Guide to Character Cruises in Animal Kingdom.
Animal Kingdom rides and attractions
Africa
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Safari vehicles that are driven by guides who really do drive (no tracks) and they are very knowledgeable about the animals. As you go, the drivers give you lots of info based on what you see along the ride and sometimes have to stop to wait for animals to clear the path.
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
Walking tour that allows you to see birds, fish, gorillas and hippos.
Festival of the Lion King - Temporarily Closed
This big, fun, Broadway-style show lasts for 30 minutes and is 1 of the best shows at Disney World. There is lots of music, dancing, stilt walkers and acrobats, featuring music and stories from The Lion King.
Asia
Expedition Everest - Legend of the Forbidden Mountain
Expedition Everest is a fantastic roller coaster and one of our favorite attractions in all of Disney World. It starts off like a pretty normal coaster and then stops and goes backward before heading forward again on a thrilling ride.
Kali River Rapids
A river raft ride that has a very high chance of soaking you. The attraction itself isn't very long, but if it is pretty fun on a hot day.
Maharajah Jungle Trek
A walking path through "ruins" that allows you to see tigers, Komodo dragons, giant fruit bats and other exotic animals.
UP! A Great Bird Adventure - Temporarily Unavailable
This entertainment experience (which replaced Flights of Wonder) offers guests the chance to see Senior Wilderness Explorer Russell and his furry friend Dug as they discover species of birds from around the world.
Bollywood Beats - Temporarily Unavailable
DinoLand U.S.A.
DINOSAUR
This ride takes you on a rough ride through history where you see lots of dinosaurs along the way.
TriceraTop Spin
Dumbo but with dinosaurs.
Finding Nemo - The Musical - Temporarily Unavailable
A Broadway-style show featuring super talented performers who sing and control puppet-type versions of the characters. Really great show and we feel like it keeps getting better.
Fossil Fun Games
Carnival games themed for this section.
The Boneyard - Temporarily Unavailable
Play structure that's great for letting little ones run around and burn off some steam.
Donald Duck, Daisy Duck & Goofy (character meet) - Temporarily Unavailable
Pluto, Launchpad McQuack & Scrooge McDuck (character meet) - Temporarily Unavailable
Discovery Island
Discovery Island Trails
These trails go all around Discovery Island (hence the name, right?) and you have a chance to see Galapagos tortoises, African crested porcupines, lemurs and tamarins.
It's Tough to be a Bug!
This 3D show is inside of the Tree of Life and features characters from "A Bug's Life." As you're looking at The Tree of Life from the front of the park, the entrance for this show is located just to the right side, near the paths that you'd take to DinoLand, U.S.A.
Timon (character meet) - Temporarily Unavailable
Character meet
Russell & Dug (character meet) - Temporarily Unavailable
Pocahontas (character meet) - Temporarily Unavailable
Meet Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost (character meet) - Temporarily Unavailable
The Oasis
DiVine - Temporarily Unavailable
DiVine is a vine-covered character performed by a performance artist. She's mesmerizing to watch. Check the daily times guide so you know when to look for her.
Rafiki's Planet Watch
Animation Experience
Learn how to draw favorite Disney characters and villains including Simba, Zazu, Scar, Pumbaa, Timon, Hopper, Tic Toc,, and others.
Affection Section
A petting zoo area with animals like goats, sheep, donkeys, cows and pigs.
Conservation Station
A behind-the-scenes look at the care provided for the animals in the park. What you will see will vary depending on what's going on that day but could include watching surgeons operate on animals, experts presenting various wildlife and veterinarians who are available to answer questions.
Habitat Habit!
Outdoor trails in the Rafiki's Planet Watch section where you can see cotton-top tamarins.
Wildlife Express Train
This train departs every 5-7 minutes (though lines to board the train can be lengthy) to take people to visit the Rafiki's Planet Watch section.
Pandora
Na'vi River Journey
A gentle boat ride through the bioluminescent rain forest complete with a spectacular encounter with a Na’vi shaman.
Avatar Flight of Passage
Unlike any other attraction at Walt Disney World, guests mount their own "virtual banshee" to soar above the Valley of Mo'ara.
Nighttime entertainment
Tree of Life Awakenings
At night you can watch the Tree of Life "awaken" and come to life with flickering fireflies and magical animals. This show uses the same projection technology as Celebrate the Magic and has 4 different shows that rotate through the evening.
Dining at Animal Kingdom
We have a dining guide below to help you decide on dining options at Animal Kingdom.
The pros and cons of all Animal Kingdom restaurants
There are a few great places to eat at Animal Kingdom, including a character dining location that’s a good option when others seem to be fully booked up months in advance.